The important thing to understand in this scenario is that Mercon V is an ATF.

There are many Mercon ATFs, and we need to know what you are putting it in to understand which one is correct.

 

A bit stressed. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

 

Certainly, happy to help.

here is a list of all of the "ATF", the top left box has the transmissions and years.

https://www.motorcraft.com/content/dam/ford-motorcraft/en_us/motorcraft_global/products/lubricants/quick_reference_charts/automatic%20transmission%20fluids%20chart_english.pdf

 

@Patrick Feeley can you chime in here

https://www.powerstroke.org/threads/1999-f-250-super-duty-7-3-transmission-fluid-is-mercon-v-the-correct-fluid.1377750/#:~:text=attached%20TSB%20regarding,4%20Mercon%20Replacement

 

I'm far from an auto trans expert, but I would think that the Mercon V would now be the fluid to use based on the TSB information. It may not have been back in 2003 when the owner's manual was written, but it is now (from what I've seen elsewhere from Mark Kovalsky, a former Ford Automatic Transmission Engineer). They must have changed the formulation (specification?) to make it OK to use. Cheers!

 

Merc V
Dex/Merc
Max life synthetic ATF
Schaffers all trans supreme
Mobile One synthetic atf
Amsoil

All those and more are ok to use. Generally in an oem 4r100 with higher miles I tend to just stick with Motorcraft Merc V
New trans I run the Valvoline maxlife atf or Schaffers.

How many miles on the transmission?

Avoid power flushes some lube shops promote.

 

Merc V
Dex/Merc
Max life synthetic ATF
Schaffers all trans supreme
Mobile One synthetic atf
Amsoil

All those and more are ok to use. Generally in an oem 4r100 with higher miles I tend to just stick with Motorcraft Merc V
New trans I run the Valvoline maxlife atf or Schaffers.

Ok, I certainly wanted to try Mobile one Synthetic, Vavoline Max Life, or Amsoil. Thank you very much for your help! I greatly appreciate it.

How many miles on the transmission? 180,000

Avoid power flushes some lube shops promote.
I agree; no flushes. My husband may have had all this maintenance stuff up to date, before he passed. I am
sure that the truck needs to have the maintenance done.

Does this help @Dory ?

Yes it certainly does. Thank you so very much! I really do appreciate it.

Mercon V replaced Mercon.

You can check Ford Chemical and Fluids website for details. They used to have a nice chart covering all transmissions, but have dropped older than 2005 now.

The website is updated as fluids / chemicals are reformulated or changed / updated. Not a bad idea to visit it now and then to see the latest revision. I have found changes.

Home Page

www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com

FCSD Chemicals and Lubricants

www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/quickref/atfUS.pdf

I use Merc V.

Thank you for all the information! I can't thank you enough!

 

valvoline dex/merc every 30k

 

Mercon V replaced Mercon.

You can check Ford Chemical and Fluids website for details. They used to have a nice chart covering all transmissions, but have dropped older than 2005 now.

The website is updated as fluids / chemicals are reformulated or changed / updated. Not a bad idea to visit it now and then to see the latest revision. I have found changes.

Home Page

www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com

FCSD Chemicals and Lubricants

www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/quickref/atfUS.pdf

I use Merc V.

 

Does this help @Dory ?

 

Very few sources for licensed Mercon V, I know Walmart Supertec and Castrol along with Motorcraft are the only ones I can find. Don't know what the differences are but those are the only ones I found that can advertise as Mercon V.

 

^^^ I’d be careful with that. And be very specific with the fluid recommendations.

Castrol has multiple blends. A few of which are compatible with ‘Ford’. Only Castrol Transmax Mercon V states it meets the requirements. (And where is the current data sheet on that formula…?)

Super Tech Automatic Transmission Fluid only states ‘Mercon’ - which one? I would not put this in an E4OD or 4R100 (or any transmission frankly). It also states “Do not use this product in transmissions that specify Ford Type F, MERCON V or DEXRON -VI fluid”. Who knows what it is…

Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF states it meets Mercon V. Mark Kovalsky has recommended this in other threads as a suitable alternative to Mercon V. If I were not using Mercon V, I would use this and have considered it.

And per Eric’s post #7.

 

Super Tech MERCON V Automatic Transmission Fluid, 1 Quart - Walmart.com
Walmart Supertech is Mercon V specific, they do also sell Dex Merc which is obviously different.

 

According to the ‘Super Tech Mercon V’ listed specifications, it meets - Mercon, Mercon V, Mercon LV, Mercon SP…Along with Dexron II, Dexron III, Dexron VI, along with Chrysler, Nissan, Honda, Toyota… various types.

How does that work?

Motorcraft Mercon V is not compatible with Mercon SP/LV, let alone others… How did Super Tech (Warren, or who ever makes it) make it so compatible with everything under the sun?

“Ford has NEVER recommended MERON LV for any application that specified MERCON V. Those two fluids are very different”. Mark K.

“There are some fluids that say they are for transmissions that used MERCON, but what's in that fluid? Nobody knows.” Mark K.



FYI. Just looking at Vavoline for the heck of it.. MaxLife meets Mercon LV specs.

They have Mercon V. And specify it is not to be used for SP, LV, ULV.


One more post from Mark:
“You can find DEX/MERC that says it is for use in transmissions that used MERCON or DEXRON. But nobody licences that fluid, so they can put ANYTHING in the bottle and call it DEX/MERC. Does it meet the now obsolete MERCON spec? Nobody knows. They could literally put straight 30 weight oil and there and call it DEX/MERC.” Mark K.

 

I really appreciate these posts we have to be careful with misinformation

 

Just an fyi,
Valvoline MaxLife atf is what Wyse uses and recommends in his 4R100 builds, I have personally run it in my stage 2.

4R’s are not really that picky.

 

^^^ Oh. Great. So how does that work? It specifically states it’s LV?… And, Valvoline has a Mercon V specific fluid, which specifically states not to used for SP, LV, ULV.

I read a lot of info/threads on this topic when I built my trans a few yrs ago. Every thread where Mark K chimed in, warned of using LV… warned of Dex/Merc mixtures.. etc etc etc.

“This is NOT correct! MERCON LV will DESTROY a 4R100 in a very short time. MERCON V is the correct fluid.” - Mark K.

“You're welcome. Use MERCON V fluid.” - Mark K.


How do these Heinz 57 formulas meet every spec under the sun when the fluids conflict?

Then you have Sam Wyse saying he recommends a fluid spec’d for LV……….

Don’t you love conflicting info from two experts?

(FYI. For those who don’t know, Mark Kovalsky was a Ford transmission engineer.)

 

Also is that for "built" trans? Or OEM with 100k miles

 

I’ve never read anything anywhere that differentiates between a ‘built’ vs rebuild vs 100k oem / stock trans for fluid recommendations.

Not saying it’s not out there or possible for some specific build, that uses some different type of fluid, I’ve just not come across it.

Other than Mark mentioning in one thread an anecdotal story..


“I never was assigned to the 4R100 production trans, but I did work on the 4R100 that we supplied to one of the Baja race teams. They were running about 650 HP through the trans. '
'
The coolers for the trans were in the bed of the truck with a couple of big fans. We couldn't put the coolers out front because they would get destroyed out there. In one race the fans failed. We couldn't get new fans installed, so the decision was made to keep going as long as possible since we were in the lead when it failed. The temp gauge was pegged at 320°F for several hours while they not only completed the race, they won!

After each race we'd get the trans back for teardown and inspection. This one definitely showed signs of heat. But nothing failed. The trans worked flawlessly. The only thing we found really wrong in that transmission is that the solder had melted and fell out of each solenoid. Solder melts at 450°F. Let that sink in for a while.

We only used Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF in these transmissions. The fluid was not burnt up.”

- Mark K.

 

In my initial comment, I believe I said I typically just run merc v in used/higher mile 4r’s.
My thought on the max life is that it may be a bit thinner, so possibly old/slightly compromised seals/internals may have a better chance of showing issue then a new one.

Mark knows a lot, but I do not fully agree with him on everything.
Sam builds 4r’s pretty much every day, so I generally feel his opinion and knowledge is pretty accurate and valuable.

 

Yeah, don’t know where to go with that.

One says - LV will tear it apart.
The other says - LV (Multi) no problem.

Both are knowledgable. Both are respected.

 

WoW! We're on-a-Roll with this one huh?

https://www.powerstroke.org/threads/100k-fluids-r-r-overdue-what-fluids-available-now-are-compatable.1410543/?post_id=16663587#post-16663587

 

What ever u do don’t flush it at all you will destroy it. I used Amsoil torque drive trans fluid it runs 10 degrees cooler than other fluid’s and I got 250,000 on my trans.